Aster plant named ‘Zanasprepi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant named ‘Zanasprepi’, characterized by its compact, upright to slightly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; double-type inflorescences with bright red purple to purple violet-colored ray florets; good postproduction longevity and good container performance.

Botanical designation: Symphyotrichum novi-belgii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANASPREPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asterplant, botanically known as Symphyotrichum novi-belgii and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Zanasprepi’.

The new Aster plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Aster plants with freelybranching habit and attractive double-type inflorescences.

The new Aster originated from a cross-pollination in September, 2010 inRijsenhout, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Symphyotrichumnovi-belgii identified as code number 74, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Symphyotrichumnovi-belgii identified as code number 376, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Aster plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout,The Netherlands in April, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster plant by terminal vegetativecuttings was first conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May,2011. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Aster plant are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aster have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Zanasprepi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Zanasprepi’ as a new and distinct Aster plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to slightly spreading and mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Double-type inflorescences with bright red purple to purple        violet-colored ray florets.    -   6. Good postproduction longevity and good container performance.

Plants of the new Aster differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in inflorescence type as plants of the female parentselection have single-type (daisy form) inflorescences.

Plants of the new Aster differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in inflorescence type as plants of the male parent selectionhave semi-double type inflorescences.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of Symphyotrichumnovi-belgii ‘Dasmag’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,827. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Aster differ primarily fromplants of ‘Dasmag’ in flowering response as plants of the new Asterflower earlier than plants of ‘Dasmag’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Aster plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibleto obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aster plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Zanasprepi’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Zanasprepi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the late winter and earlyspring in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout,The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Asterproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 18.5° C. to 22° C., night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 21° C.and light levels ranged from 3,500 to 7,000 lux. Plants were pinched onetime and were ten weeks old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Zanasprepi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Symphyotrichum novi-belgii identified as code number 74, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Symphyotrichum novi-belgii identified as code number 376,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About nine to            ten days at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, autumn.—About eleven            to twelve days at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155D and 199D in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous double type potted Aster            plant; compact, upright to slightly spreading and mounding            plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely            branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; pinching            enhances branching potential.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm to 15 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 18 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm            to 10 mm. Internode length: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Aspect:            About 50° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture and            luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 138A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 mm to 7 mm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent,            somewhat rough; semi-glossy.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 136A; venation,            close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147D; venation, 148D.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type and arrangement.—Double-type inflorescence form with            lanceolate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on            terminal and axillary branches above and beyond the foliar            plane; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a            capitulum; inflorescences face mostly upright to slightly            outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            during the autumn in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering            about six weeks after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about four weeks on the plant; inflorescences            persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with            about six to eight inflorescences per lateral branch and            about 18 to 20 inflorescence buds and inflorescences per            plant at one time.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About            6 mm. Shape: Globular. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 138A and 79C.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.8 cm. Diameter of disc: If present, about 1.5 cm.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Diameter: About 3            mm to 4 mm. Shape: Domed. Color: Close to 149D.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 90 to 100            arranged in numerous whorls. Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm.            Width: About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Bluntly acute or emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            semi-glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Orientation: Initially upright to            semi-upright to eventually close to perpendicular to the            peduncle. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to N74A; color becoming closer to N80A with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to N74C; color becoming closer to N81C with            development.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: If present, variable            in quantity and arranged at the center of the receptacle;            disc florets mostly inconspicuous in developing            inflorescences and more conspicuous in mature            inflorescences. Length: About 6 mm to 7 mm. Diameter: About            1 mm to 1.5 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated; five free apices            are acute. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, immature, inner            and outer surfaces: Close to 143B. Color, mature, inner            surface: Close to 158C; color becoming closer to N81C with            development. Color, mature, outer surface: Close to 145C;            color becoming closer to N81C with development.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 50 per            inflorescence arranged in about five whorls. Length: About 4            mm to 5 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic.            Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture and            luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy.            Color, upper surface: Close to 136A. Color, lower surface:            Close to 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 0.7            mm to 0.8 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster:            Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 137B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Quantity of stamens per floret: Five. Filament length:            About 2.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 150D. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close            to 4A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 17B.            Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per floret: One. Pistil            length: About 8 mm. Stigma diameter: About 1.5 mm. Stigma            shape: Bifurcate. Stigma color: Close to 10D, color becoming            closer to 155D with development. Style length: About 3 mm to            3.5 mm. Style color: Close to 4D, color becoming closer to            84D with development. Ovary color: Close to 149D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Aster.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Aster have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Aster    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to    tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 32° C. to    33° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aster plant named ‘Zanasprepi’ asillustrated and described.